Legacy Projects For Jamaica 60

Several legacy projects have been identified for implementation by the Government in celebration of the nation’s Diamond Jubilee this year.

Among these are renovation of the National Stadium; establishment of two museums focusing on sports and music, development of the Montego Bay Performing Arts Centre, and the creation of the Usain Bolt/University of the West Indies (UWI) Sports Medicine Centre.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, provided details while addressing resident and non-resident heads of diplomatic missions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, downtown Kingston, on March 9.

She informed that the renovations to the National Stadium will include adding 10,000 seats, as well as covering a section of the bleachers.

“We will put the shovel in the ground early 2023, but all our plans are being put in place during this year,” she said.

Minister Grange noted that the designs have been completed and approval has been received from the Public Investment Management Secretariat.

“The bleachers area of the National Stadium will be partially covered, and we will have a new grandstand. We will have a state-of-the-art antidoping facility and in addition to having major events there, we will have banquet facilities as well,” she said.

Regarding the creation of the Sports Museum, Ms. Grange said that the design has been completed. “We have actually started collecting artefacts for the facility and doing training in the preservation of such artefacts,” she indicated.

As it relates to the Jamaica Music Museum, she said that the facility will be situated downtown Kingston, adjoining the Institute of Jamaica building, and the Montego Bay Performing Arts Centre to be built will have a 1,000-seating capacity.

Minister Grange said that the Government will be partnering with sprint legend Usain Bolt for the establishment of the Usain Bolt/University of the West Indies Sports Medicine Centre.

“All these major projects will be formalised during our 60th anniversary, and then over a three-to-five-year period we will roll out the projects and they will become lasting legacies,” she pointed out.

Ms. Grange said, further, that a series of yearlong celebratory activities will be held to commemorate Jamaica’s 60th Independence anniversary celebrations, including the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Military Tattoo and Grand Gala.

In addition, 60 women as well as 60 personalities in sports will be recognised.

Minister Grange encouraged the heads of missions to partner with the Government for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

“We welcome whatever contributions you can make in enhancing what we are doing. For the Independence celebrations, we have already reached out to some members of the diplomatic community to assist us in having certain performances or visiting troops.

We have spoken to, for example, Nigeria about assisting us with a dance troop because we want to make the Grand Gala one of the biggest and best… so [we appreciate] any contributions we can get in terms of cultural groups,” she said.